Original Picture of Sri Raghavendra Swamigalu

My Uncle had given this picture of Shri Raghavendra Swamigalu to my Mother almost 30 years back. My Mom was ready to give me this picture, but since both my parents are great devotees of Rayaru I didn’t want to take the Photo. It seems someone had painted Rayaru while performing pooje to Moola Rama Devaru. The Photos we are normally used to seeing is completely different from the one we have down here. Amazing to see our Rayaru, and really imagine how he actually looked.

I took several pictures in my camera and attached below are two such pictures in which you will see how our beloved Rayaru was.You can see how old the picture is.

This is a photo written by pencil by some devotee and original pencil painting was seen in a small hotel near ittigegoodu in Mysore about 15 years back by me and still is hung there.

I am a follower of Raghavendra swamy and surviving because of his love.

Raghavendra Swamy is not an ordinary Sanyasi. He was and is a grihastha who conaisiders all the followers of Narayana as his children.

The intention in writing this comment is not to hurt anyone instead to make it clear that Raghavendra is everywhere and no body living has seen him in his native life nor any pictures were taken or photographed during 16th century.

Thanks a lot madam, I wanted the address and website of Kamadhenu Kshetra….i wanted to go there after watching and hearing about it on TV…..ur blog was really more than a bridge that connected me and RAYARU…….thanks a lot…..

dear madam meera,
I saw the picture of guru raghavendra sarvabhuma on your blog and also the comments attached. I really appreciate your sincere effort of putting the rare picture in your possession. I felt that some people who have raised the question about the authenticity of the picture had a different image of srigalu in their mind (which most of us have, its natural. we are seeing those images since decades; its hard to break believes!). therefore please don t get annoyed. please continue your services to devotees. some 5-6 years back I was not a believer of god, saints etc., I was very proud of my scientific temperament and logic. of late I had to go through a lot of problems in my life and in fact just to ‘test’ one day I thought let me start ‘believing god'( as in science we “assume” to hypothesize something, and it starts with an assumption only, most of the times) and I wanted my ‘god’ to be somebody like me, a human being who has experienced all the ups and downs of life. incidentally I went through a small book on guru sarvabhwma and I felt let me ‘try’ this ‘god’ because he is just like us. initially I used to find it very difficult dedicate my believes to something to which I never believed in. I did’ nt give up. soon after I started praying guru sarvabhawma all the messed up things in my life started getting cleared. today even though I have certain issues pending in my life I have such a belief in guru sarvabhwma that I strongly believe his blessings. the moment I sit and close my eyes I see brindavana in front of my eyes. it happens to me everyday what ever may be my emotional status of that day. this has caused real wonders in my life. There are many things in this world which can not be explained logically. (of course! gurugalu has answers for everything. he is genius and everybody has to agree with it !) OM SRI RAGHAVENDRAYA NAMAHA.

Like this we can go on writing on Rayaru. To-day-Sunday 24th July. As per programme i should first have to Rayara Brindavana. Just passed thro Office and
opened mail. Surprisingly Mantralaya Visit…..glanced….no…noo went thro, saw thro..
something I could not believe or imagine. Think of him, there he is. At 10-30 was my time at brindavan.. but at that hour I am at office. But, Rayaru from Mantralaya thro PC gave me darshana, mangalaarathi, Sri venkateswara darsana… what not..
Indu sudina…bhagyada dina…janma dhanya vAyitu…

Namaskra Madam.
thank for your hospitality by sharing SriGuruRayara PHOTO I HAVE WENT THROUGH MANY APPRECIATION &AS WELL AS LITTLE DIS OPINION AMONG THIS PHOTO but any way live all that i have a word to tell devotees if u have faith u enjoy or else live it the faith we have upon our sriguru original photo which you have uploded on this rayaru site is marvelous once again i like to thank u may lord sriguru bless us all.

my heart is full of rayaru and my eyes is filled of rayara face am lucky to be born and be his devotee i love rayaru he is every thing for me i cant live without praying him and i have one wish that how much ever janma i born also i should be devotee of rayaru .

Thank you so much for sharing this Meera Avare. Though I am not having proper vedic background, by His grace, I have been reading BhagavadGita and also surrendered to the Supreme and always think about Him and great sages like Sri Rayaru and try to understand the Dvaitha siddhantha. I tend to deeply think about the great Souls and Gurus and think about how they lived, how they were so full of Jnana, how their daily life was etc. This picture has really made me mesmerised. I showed it with my wife who also stood watching the pic for few minutes without blinking. I know happy she might have been. Same with my mother. Please pardon me if I have written something wrong out of my ignorance.

Hi meera i feel very happy to see rayaru’s real pic, nange en maathadbeku antha gothaakthaa illa.. I was searching ur blog for some rangolis and suddenly seen this..I believe that rayaru only instructed me to see this blog now.. Thank u so much.. Let god bless all his devotees..

Here mohanpriya here says, i am not sure, what penance i did that for my jhanma in this world
that has been blessed by this great saint and thanks a lot to you for showing me his picture.

From my side, thanks a lot too. I wish one day, when i come to india will go to Mantralayam to take his blessings at his jeeva samadhi. He was undoubtedly a living god and still is in millions and millions of hearts.

I love guru sri raghavendra…i believe he takes care of my soul…and i saw his picture that time i felt a long peace of my mind..its a living picture and swamy sri guru raghavendra also lived with us…oh sri sathguru raghavendraya namaha…

i like RAGHAVENDRASWAMY alot,he is really a living GOD.if we ask anything he will give not only that HE WILL APPEAR INFRONT of you and give us.only through PERFECT HEART.I always Worship RAGHAVENDRASWAMI,
EVERYONE do some good thing on the name of RAGHAVENDRASWAMI,then GOD will
be happy with us

Mantralaya is the heaven on this earth, If i pay visit to mantralaya, I feel Rayaru presence over there, We all should proud to be devotees of Sri Rayaru & we should preach rayaru teachings to other religions also, So that peace will be restored on this planet. more importantly pakisthanis & North Koreans should read Rayara Charithra & sri Rayaru divine love

hi meera,
Just thanks in words would be too little, but stil i thank you from the bottom of my heart. if anymore pics like this pls do share my mom is a great devote of gurugalu, she would be very very happy. pls.

Thanks Meera Madam for the pictures.
These are certainly difficult times- with the rate of change of technology and degradation of moral values, it is easy to get confounded on what’s right and what’s wrong. May Rayaru be the light and show us the way and bless us more than ever to stay on the right path. May his karune be upon us all.

I have gone through this site it is good inthe mean time i have seen a advt of some snapdeal.com which gives add of some non-veg food, this should not have bemm shown in tjis site pl do the needful R.Sudhakar shivamoga Mob9448255846

thanks a lot for sharing the picture. by seeing the photo it reminded to me that i had seen a similar photo in my grand mothers house in mysore. . one day sagarakatte swami came to my grandmothers house and asked her to give that photo of rayaru as it is very special and she obliged . think that photo is in sagarakatte mutt

hi mam this mani from salem i very glad to see this picture of guru ragavendra after seeing this i have been forget mr. rajanikanth update i thought like rajani only sri guru will be thr but am sorry he is enterly differnt mam please send some more picture of ragavendra am mad of sri guru so please send any picture of ragavendrea this is my mail id maniarun762@gmail.com and am also in face book u can conntact in that also maniarun is my profile mam

Dear,
Thanks a million,
This picture is like a dream come true.
I was watching Rayaru’s TV serial and imagining if i could go back to the times of his generation. Wished if i could be with him, talk to him and also live with him.
To tell you the truth, i also wished if i could really see him.
And this picture has nearly made it happen.
Thank you very much once again.
Will surely share this picture with others….
Bye and GOD bless you……pramodk

15 years back
I ran out of my school and I planned to go to bangalore for working (Ran from house) during that time I did’t had even a single rupee in my pocket to eat anything, I was standing at the Shimoga railway station to catch the train to Bangalore. I was too hungry, i drank water from tap to fill but soon i went to toilet i was again feeling hungry. during that time i prayed guru raghavendra to help me. the train came (from bangalore and was the returning train to bangalore in late night) and was at platform I have seen a monk with saffron dress calling me to help him to get down from train, I took his hand and helped him to get down and sit on the passenger bench at the station. soon my eye captured a bag of mandakki/puri and bella left behind the monks seat. I asked him whether i can take that? he said ” Take it some shop owner gave me that on Aayudha pooja- eat it”. I still remember the way i ate it, i strongly believe that that was Guru raghavendra, still today i often go to mantralayam, since last three months i take some of my friends to manthralayam every months ( planned to visit continuous five months)

Hello all,
Namaste, I am Srinivasdas from chennai. I happened to see this post today. Thanks for the blogger. With due respect to all comments here, I would like to add my comment here.
1. Look at the date this pic was uploaded……… Posted October 26, 2009
(Original Picture of Sri Raghavendra Swamigalu
Posted October 26,2009 by meeraghu in Shri Raghavendra Swamy. 179 Comments)
2. Meeraghu has mentioned that He/She has got this pic about 30 years back.
(My Uncle had given this picture of Shri Raghavendra Swamigalu to my Mother
almost 30 years back.) That means in around 1979.
3. The sage in this pic looks like about 50-60 years of age. Even we consider him as
79 yeas old sage, the pic would have taken by anywhere around 1950 to 1979.
4. As i searched for the life history of Guru Raghavendra in wikipedia, He born in1559.
(Birth and childhood
The fall of the vijayanagar kingdom had an adverse effect on many scholars who depended on royal patronage. Most of them moved south with their families, finding refuge with southern kings and chieftains. One such scholar was Thimmanna Bhatta, grandson of Krishnabhatta, who had tutored King Krishnadevaraya in the veena. Thimmanna belonged to the gautama gOtra and was married to GopikAmba. Initially, this couple had 2 children – GururAja and VenkATamba. Later in 1595, by the grace of Lord Venkateshwara, a third son was born to this couple. They named him VenkaTanAtha (some books refer to him as Venkanna bhatta). )

5. The first photography was taken in the year 1817 as per wikipedia info.
(Early fixed images
The first photograph was taken approximately 1817 by Nicéphore Niépce[7][8] using cameras of his own making; the photographs though were not permanent, and faded away. Later, in 1827, he made permanent images using a sliding wooden box camera made by Charles and Vincent Chevalier in Paris, France. He made his first permanent photograph in 1827 by coating a pewter plate with bitumen and exposing the plate to light.[9] The bitumen hardened where light struck. The unhardened areas were then dissolved away.)

It is hard to believe this pic is of Guru Raghavenra as there was no facility of camera to take any Photograph in the Great sage Raghavendra’s time, i.e. around 16th or in 17th century.
Hope all Hindu sahridyas understand what i say.
All that glitter is not gold. Belief is good. but Blind Belief?

Mr, Srinivasdas. It pains me to read through your comment. If you had to look at wikipedia to know about our Gurugalu, you are so very much ignorant about our Madhwa Culture.

So, please don’t come to my blog and comment here, I don’t need any suggestions from ignorant people like you.
I have never been rude in replying to any comment, however when someone comes to my blog, which is like a sacred place to me, and comments on my beloved Rayaru, I will not tolerate the same.
Don’t ever bother to comment in this blog or even look at this blog. It belongs to me, and people like you are not welcome here.

Sri, Srinivasdas….. Hari ohm,,,,,, I am Narasimha Deshpande, Rayara daasa and Bhakta from Bangalore. I saw ur saying and all others sayings…. about the sri Rayara Photo, I saw this Photo first time when I visited Bichale grama, small Village near the Sri Mantralayam in the year 1995. The arachaka there said this photo was hand made portrait during the great time of sri Rayaru. and also he shown the Rayara belongings, in that the Grinding Stone which Sri Appanaachar great great devotee of Sri Rayaru used to offer the Gram nut Chatani. This Gram nut Chatni is realy very much liked by our Sri Rayaru. I just want divert here all of u that sri Rayaru is greater than the greatest of all Yatis to us, he has put almost 14 years in this Bichale grama and where he lived with the great devotee Sri Appanachar. and the concept of constructing the Mrithike Brindavana of sri Rayaru started on and advise of sri Rayaru to his all time devotee Appannachar. If Possible Pls. Visit the Bichale gram which is just 40 Kmt. from Mantralayam.on the other side of Tunga Nadi River.

Dear madam, Thanks for sharing such a valuable pic. I belong to Madhwa brahmin community living in Chennai. I am in family way and my baby is due in 2 weeks. Can you please suggest me a sites for boy baby names of sri Rayaru

i was looking was searching for some devaranama lyrics & it is sheer coincidence that I saw your blog & Rayaru’s photos.truly feel blessed as yesterday being thursday I had given for panchamurtha abhisheka @ local Rayara mutta.thanks Meera

I am a great devotee of “SRI GURU RAGHAVENDRA SWAMY “. I have felt his presence in almost al works of my everyday life…..
Kindly share the images and songs of SRI Raghavandra teertharu at suriyanaveen@gmail.com..

BY THE WAY ONE QUESTION FOR YOU…. HAVE YOU SEEN INDIA FROM SPACE OR OTHER COUNTRY FROM SAPCE BY YOUR NAKED EYE… NO RIGHT… but still when asked to write India Map you will right somehow, though the shape will not matches exactly somehow rest of the people will accpet your diagram… like the same way…. please don’t comment to any saints/god’s photo “THIS IS NOT VALID” antha especially in this case Rayarige….

Karthik,
Thanks so much for sharing such wonderful news. I will visit Bichale this time when I visit India. I am planning on going to India in October, 2011. Hopefully, Rayaru will give me his darshana this time also.

Am really happy to know that so many people are interested in Spiritual things. We should understand the purpose of Sri Rayaru life. He thought us how to use this body in the service of the Supreme Lord. Without that how much ever u praise or like, of wat use will it be.He came here to teach us Bakthi.But today all these Acharyas have become just a figures and icons.

his comment made me to think deeply on reality, transcending the level of the maya, the bogusness of life

not the photo, even rayaru in person , living also cannot truly depict his true stature, his true nature , the infinite power, knowledge, his adi madhyaanthara rahitha existence, for realization of it he only is an icon ,an avathar, teacher,,a moorthy,a way ,a blessing, an iota of the infinite wealth he actually is.
i am sure raghu seriously will think on reality of rayaru and soon will come into his grace.
the responses here are amazingly large, indicative of the living presence of rayaru in million hearts
that is how poojyaaya raghavendraya…..

raghu
can you show me a thing which is not bogus? tell me what is real in life?
your body, limbs, face, what you sense, perceive about things around are real? no they are bogus. find out what the reality of all this and about you , who/what really you are.
i am happy that you are feeling that picture is bogus. that is the firs step.
look at your own photograph, it also is not real what you are.
you talk to some one that someone also a bogus picture of what that some one really is .
so take next step of sadhana to reach the real.
may be rayaru will pardon you and shows you the right way.
best of luck

Yes I have signature of our guru Rayaru. We can see the signature of guru rayaru in any Raghavendra swami mutt.
The signature is in sanskrit. Please do check in mutt and update.
If not found, will send u the same by mail.

The photos of raghavendra teertha sreepada are very very nice.I have a question on brundavana: as I know raghavendra teertha sreepada’s moola brundavana is at mantralaya and how are the other brundavana’s of raghavendra teertha sreepada made? Is that raghavendra teertha sreepada is virtualy present inthe other brundavanas or some content from moola brundavana is present at other brundavanas.Bur the power of attraction at the moola brundavana is 100 times more that other raghavendra teertha sreepada brundavans as I have experineced.

All other brindavana are constructed using the Mrithike from the original one in Mantralaya. The Swamigalu will usually perform a special pooje, get the mrithike from Mantralaya, and this will form the foundation in other brindavanas.

dear meera,
It is indeed the original picture of rayaru.I too have
this in my possession.This picture or painting was done in Sri Appanacharya’s home in bichchale. I had gone there once. The place is awesome and the brindavana of sri rayaru is located in open air and at the banks of tungabhadra. The waters of the river here is always full throughout the year and doesnt dry up even in the summer season.It is said that even today even today sri rayaru and his beloved disciple Appanacharya do the sudhamangalapata here.The priest of the brindavana here once told me of a miracle relating to a person who had come to visit his friend’s home which was next to Sri Appanacharya’s home. It was during summer that the person had slept on the terrace of his friend’s house when during midnight he chanced to see someone moving along with a lamp. Just as he was pondering as to who could be at this hour when he saw the figure disappear in the brindavana of sri rayaru. Incidentally the brindavana area was visible from the terrace of his friend’s house.

Suman,
Thanks so much for sharing this information. There are many people who have raised concern that this is not the original one. It is their opinion. I was told this was how Rayaru was, and it brought me a great joy seeing this picture.

Thanks a lot for sharing such pricious photos of shri raghavendra swamigal. I am basically from an iyangar family and my grand ma,dad,mom and sister are very devotional. I shall share these photos with ma family. They shall bless you aswell along with guru raghavendra swamigal. I kindly request you to attach some more images if you have.. See there are many people across world who want to know about guruji. Write as much information as u know about guru swamigal.
Let god shower his bless you and all!!!

Hi,
First of all thanks for ur research done on getting the original pic of shri ragahavendra swamiji..
Just out of curiosity that i’ m asking one question (not to test ur ability & faith, pl dont take it in other sense) Is it the real photo taken at that time or just an imagination of the originator that our swamiji used to look like this 350 + years old?.. pl answer me …

I am a follower of Shri.Raghavendra Swami.When I was in a terrible difficult position he only guided me.
Since then there is his blessings r there, we now feel it.We r confident that he is with us.We went to Manthralayam and stayed there for 3 days, great darshan and feeling that from his jeeva samadhi he is blessing us.On returning to Bombay his chamathkar we felt.To our surprise a Dr. asked us to bring the medical file of our Daughter( usually I never carry),How he knows that it is with me.Seeing Dr.He agreed to treat her.Since then treatment is going on.Very same Dr.once told me that further he cannot continue.Now she is getting nice treatment and there is little improvement.Every day we pray to him to bless not only us but also all others also.We usually pray not for us, but for others.Om Shri Raghavendraya namaha.

Resp Madam,
many thanks , bcse original picture of sri Raghavendra swamiji, have seen today. many people can see it , which is rare.may God bless you.
from; Shripad.Karane.
Karane-Tutorials, opp-T V Tower,
Haliyal-Road,
Dharawad.580008

I am a devotee of Guru Ragavendrar and I used to worship Ragavendrar every morning before I go to school. I am happy to see the original picture of Guru Ragavendrar. Thanks. I am 6th Standard student studying in SSKV School, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India.

I am a true Devotee of Guru Ragavendrar and One night he appeared in my sleep, and from that date on wards, I used to perform special pooja on every thursday, and I have been visiting Mantralayam every year. I got success in my life whenever I visit his place. I am very much happy to see this original picture of Guru Ragavendrar. Thanks.

Hi Meera.
Thanks a lot for sending the old Picture of our Beloved Guru shree108 Raghavendra Thirtharu.
This is a very old picture as u said. Right Because i remember the photo which was in my
Grand fathers house. He use to celebrate Rayara Aaradhane for three days.This photo he
use to keep for pooja along with Rayara brindavana and other things. Iwas a small girl at that
time that is in 50s and 60s. I gone back to my memories as soon as i saw the photo.You are
really doing very good things. May God bless you.You are also making so many people to
know about our great Rayaru. My heart fills with emotions when ever i hear any thing about
Rayaru..Iam a devotee of Rayaru from my child hood.Ireally thank My mother and my Grand
parents.
thanks a lot
Sunanda

A few days before the old Ragavendra Swamy Photo adorned in my Pooja room was taken out as the frame was drenched in water and was giving way. I was looking for a replacement. I visited a few phtoshops in Bangalore. I could not find the Photo of Rayaru which I had in my mind. I just thought why not I search for it in the net. As God sent I found him in your Blog. You will be surprised, This is what I had in my mind really. I am taking a print out, frame it nicely and keep it in my Pooja room.

I appreciate your yeomen service to the community in your own way. When it comes to Guru Rayaru we must ensure we represent Guru Rayaru as he lived. I know Many of us consider Guru Rayaru more than God, though according to philosophy of Sri Madhacarya, our guru contradicts this notion. We must surrender purely to Guru Rayaru.

Based on the research I did, I stated the facts to you and the devotees of Guru Raghavendra. It is immaterial how you see him in a painting , he is omni present and can take any form he wants to come and bless us all and that form cannot be painted as a picture.

Please do not take this as criticisizing your post.

Just to let you know about a miracle that happened yesterday:

I was chanting Guru Stotra and driving on the freeway here in NJ and then one more car was driving on the other lane next to me and the driver was going to hit me as I was on his blind side, I honked and moved away to the next lane where there was no other car, I was shaken but safe, Ahmya Mahima Lokhe Raghavendro Mahayasha.He is omni present blessing all of us.

My contention is that we must only represent true facts that are associated with Guru Rayaru and unfortunately there are only 2 sources to know the truth about Guru RAghavendra, the RAghavendra Vijaya and his decendants of Gauthama Gothra who know the true evenets, passed on through generations.

Hello Meera,
Thanks for your wonderful recipes. I might try your majjige huli this weekend. Have been trying to get it right and been failing so far. Is this picture of Rayaru , supposedly from a painting backed by any proof that it was the original ? Any ideas on where is the original painting ?

Hi Meeraji,
Hearty Thanks for putting the photos on web. It is really great and soothing. No one need have any doubt that Sadhguru would Bless the honest and faithful devotees with His abundant Grace. I have been trying to instal the image of PARAMA KAARUNYA MOORTHY, SADGURU in my heart since decades, but with little success. I know it is not that easy a task. Still I continue to strive and struggle for the same and I have the VERY FIRM belief that Sadguru SREE RAGHAVENDRARU would guide me ( and all Devotees who sincerely crave for SALVATION from BHAVA BANDHANA) always in my effort to attain HIS LOTUS FEET. I can only, pray “INDU ENAGE GOVINDA NINNAYA PAADARAVINDAVA THORO MUKUNDANE…..”. This composition of Sree Raghavendra Himself, is pregnant with meaning and quite a fitting PRAYER (for a REAL Bhaktha to sing repeatedly) for seeking the SAANNIDHYA of GOVINDA.

I earnestly and with utmost humility pray Sadhguru Sri Raghavendra to shower his choicest blessings for the Happiness of all in the World and Good of all. “Sarve Janaah Sukhino Bhavaantu, Samastha Sanmangalaani Bhavanthu”.

I am a true bakthan of Guru Sri Ragavendra swamy , getting many development for last 20 years . I started my careerer as Medical Rep with minimum salary, I started praying Guru Sri Ragavendra Swamy slowly getting development . Every thursday I used to went to Brindavan in Thanjavur. They gave mrithiga and other prasadas. Guru Sri Ragavendra swamy blessed me through promotion as Area Manager. After that I got transfered to Trichy there I worked for 5 years. 1996 myself and my collegues started marketting Pharma Company with only 5 products. thereafter slowly company gets better position . In 1998 I started medical Wholesale business goes reasonable well. 2002 I purchased House in trichy. my family leads smooth and happy life with 2 sons. my elder son studying MSW final year and second son studying 8th standard. A true believer of Guru Sri Ragavendra Swamy never fails. this is my story.

M’am,
It was an amazing feeling to see such a beautiful picture of Rayaru in the morning. May god bless you.
PUJYAYA RAGHAVENDRAYA SATYA DHARMA RATHAYACHA, BHAJATAM KALPAVRUKSHAYA NAMATAM KAMADHENUVE.
THANKYOU,
BHAVANA

There is a navabrindhavan of rayaru’s ancestors in vellore. To my surprise, I noticed the above photo in the temple too with his signature and I felt that it would be a original one. the same thought was shared by you too. If you find time, u people can come to vellore to have a great visit.

Even i have in possession of this photo with me & I have seen this foto at Bichali place where Appannacharya the staunch deciple of Rayaru stayed near Manthralayam
Indeed I have spoken to the great great grandson of Appannacharya when he visited Bichali in whose possession this foto is.
My only Q is where this was painted? is it at Appannacharya’s house at Bichali(Bikshalaya) or at Tanjore?

Even I am in possession of a copy of this photo of Sri Rayaru. It was given to me by Sri Appanacharya’s current vamshastaru in Bichali. According to him, this was done during one of Sri Rayaru’s visits to Sri Appanacharya’s home. Can’t comment on the authenticity of this. Anyways, as somebody else has pointed out, it is really immaterial how Sri Rayaru or any other similarly great souls looked like – we should surrender to them in reverence, with whatever image we have of Them in our minds.

hi to all,
Even i have in pssession of this photo with me & I have seen this foto at Bichali place where Appannacharya the staunch deciple of Rayaru stayed near Manthralayam
Indeed I have spoken to the great great grandson of Appannacharya when he visited Bichali in whose position this foto is.

I am very much surprised to see this pic, but i have a question regarding this pics please contact me sis, i like to contact you regarding the issue of this picture. waiting for your favourable reply.
Thank you
Regards
RAGHAVENDRA SRIRAM BALAKUMAR

hello meera,
thank you so much for sharing such a treasure. my father is a sincere devotee of sree ragavendar. when i came across this photo i send it to him he was overwelmed with pleasure.
thank you so much for giving us the oppurtunity to look the divine face.
regard
Deepa

This is not the original picture. This picture is very recent as it has got the different tonal effects and the modern way of lighting and shading. This style is developed only 100 years back in India ( post Ravivarma period). Being an artist I can tell you that this is not the original,

But I have seen 2 Pictures of Rayaru. 1 in Tanjore style and one in Mysore style of art. Which was produced by artist of royal court. Earlier Sri Sujayeendra tirtha swamigalu used to have copy of it in his room in a small size. It’s purely in Tanjore style and there are no tonal variations. I don’t have the pic in my collection. But I will try to get it and share it with you all.

During my early days when I was around 6-7yrs, I remember clinging on to my grandfather. He was not looking good, he used to smell of ayurveda oil which he used to apply to his leg for some kind of allergy, he always had beard, white and very piercing kind, but still I liked to go to him and hug him all the time and be with him. I think its the kind of near-analloyed reciprocation which every kid gives, until they grow up old and start differentiating based on the material fallacies.

I see our Rayaru as like that or more than that – The person is very Karunamaya, gyani, pure, and loving inspite of all the shortcomings that we have.

I also remember, daily my grandfather used to invite 5 brahmanas and offer them theerthaprasada before he had theerthaprasada. The brahmanas – scholars, some were old-looking, fragile and could not walk straight. I used to imitate them and make others laugh, you know sometimes in a function all want you to do something or the other so that they can laugh. Now, I feel sorry i did that. I feel bad for trying to imitate their bodily discomforts and make the gathering laugh.

But now when I hear about their panditya, their magnanamity, how they were driven by values, and abided what Hari/Srimadacharya has instructed them to do, then I am filled with a sense of deep respect for them and I begin to see them as personas, entities.

Inspite of all these shortcomings, I am blessed by Rayaru and his devotees so many times to overcome life’s difficulties. I remember this song “Ninnolume inda Nikhila janaru bandu yanna mannisuvaray maharaya…… yanna punyagalinda ee pari onteno ninnade salaka sampattu”

so, my suggestion is dont see at the pic and gauge a person. Or sometimes you might like a person before seeing him or just seeing a different physical form of his and later when you see him in his real physical form, there might be a difference in our respect to him, initially. But, it is good to know how he looked like in real life. I had that curiosity, and I thank you for sharing this real pic of his.

This may not be true. There is only one pic that was painted during the time of Sir Thomas Munroe, when he described Guru Rayaru as he saw him. That picture is now some where in Coimbatore believed to be passed on through the family of sir thomas munroe.

This may not be true. There is only one pic that was painted during the time of Sir Thomas Munroe, when he described Guru Rayaru as he saw him. That picture is now some where in Coimbatore believed to be passed on through the family of sir thomas munroe.

Hi Meera,
He is looking very different in this very picture. Whenever we think of Rayaru, only one face comes to our mind. I believe it should be the same to every one. we want only his ashirwadagalu..
May ur prayer life be enriched.
Thank you so much for sharing this treasure…
Regards
hsrinivas.

Sathya,
I agree with you. I always wanted to know and see how Rayaru looked like. He was there just like us on this earth a few hundred years ago. Even knowing the places he visited makes me feel so emotional. So, this picture brought back so many feelings in me.

He looks very different in this picture. Whenever I think of Rayaru, only one face comes to my mind. I believe it is the same for every one. It is really difficult to imagine Rayaru’s face as something different than the familiar face that we are used to. But what is in the appearence, we want only his ashirwadagalu..

Good picture ever noticed in my life. I am a great devotee of Guru Raghavendra. Everyday in my Dhyana, i washes the Brindavana in my blood, which is the only service rendering to my Guru. Here onwards I try to attach this photo in my mind.

Dear Mr. Krishnamurthy, what you are doing is not correct. How can any one do abhishekha (wash in your language) to God or Guru or Vrundavana with blood ? You should do it with water, milk, tulasi, flowers etc.